Re-emergence of Windies cricket (14 April 1999)

14 April 1999

Re-emergence of Windies cricket

Elmo Rodrigopulle

It was encouraging to note the re-emergence of the once famous and formidable West Indians.

After having lost six Test matches in a row - 5 to the South Africans and the First Test to Australia in the recently concluded 4 - Test series in the Caribbean, they came back strongly to win the Second and Third tests, but were unfortunate to lose the final Test.

But that they managed to draw the series would have been heartwarming to their authorities who were wracking their cricketing brains, to resurrect the game that nose dived in recent times.

It was the West Indians who introduced the concept to fire a fourpronged pace attack at the opponents and dominate. They did it very successfully under Clive Lloyd and Vivian Richards and their opponents had no answer to counter the fearsome pace.

Bowlers who tormented and taunted batsmen of that time were Joel Garner, Colin Croft, Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshal, Sylvester Clarke and Michael Holding to Wesley Hall and Gilchrist and earlier Martindale and Constantine to name a few.

These bowlers generated tremendous pace and had the ability to get the ball to rise off a good length which was disconcerting to the batsmen. That was the time when they ruled the cricket scene.

But of late bowlers of that class haven't been coming on and as a result Caribbean cricket suffered. At that time they also had batsmen who were eye-catching and who could tear any bowling apart with their marvellous eye and stroke play that was breathtaking.

Can one forget the blazing blades of Roy Fredricks, Gordon Grenidge, Clive Lloyd, Sir Garfield Sobers, Rohan Kanhai and Viv Richards.

In recent times the West Indians have been searching for batsmen of that class, but other than Brian Lara, no exciting batsmen have been coming along.

It was nice to see Brian Lara succeeding with the bat after a long time. He is a batsman who can maul any attack when he gets his eye in. He struck form in the Second and Third Tests and helped his team to get back into the all important winning ways.

That they were able to come back after losing the First Test very badly to win the second and third tests should inspire them and it hoped that when World Cup time comes around, they would have got their act together and would endeavour to win World Cups as their teams of 1975 and 1979 did.

As for the Aussies they were fortunate to escape with a tied series which helped them to retain the Sir Frank Worrel Trophy. Captaining the Aussies for the first time Stephen Waugh would have a breathed a sigh of relief when his side won the final Test. Had he not done so, the cry to have him replaced would have begun.

Anyway Waugh has the potential of turning out into being one of the best captains produced by the kangaroo country. A couple of more series and he should come out tops.

As for the Aussies, the man who made the tied series possible was paceman Glen McGrath. McGarth has the makings of joining the illustrious company of famous fast bowlers produced by Australia. To name a few are Ray Lindwall, Keith Miller, Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson, Allan Davidson and Graig McDermott.

But what is sickening in his get up is that he is indisciplined. True that fast bowlers are temperamental, but being temperamental is accepted. But to cast four letter words and spit at opposing batsmen is unacceptable and deserves the severest of punishment.

He soils him greatness by his irresponsible acts when batsmen start hitting him around. Even when the Sri Lankans played in the triangular tourney in Australia, he clashed with some of the batsmen without provocation.

The cricketing authorities in Australia must instil in him that however great a fast bowler he may be, it is all lost if he cannot control his temper and go over the top.

McGrath had a wonderful series in the Caribbean and the Aussies are sure to keep him under wraps and let him loose at opposing batsmen at the World Cup in their endeavour to win it.

Source :: Daily News (https://www.lanka.net)